


"out of my element"

by Capacchi



Category: Free!
Genre: Canon Divergence, Character Study, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 11:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6515782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capacchi/pseuds/Capacchi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He ran in parallel to the ocean, chasing the sun, and stopping where the land met the sea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"out of my element"

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chromyrose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chromyrose/gifts).



> From his first year to his last year, Rei met some people in his life that changed how he viewed himself and the world around him.

_If there ever was a greater truth…_

 

It would reflect in the greens of his captain’s honest eyes. Eyes that gave Makoto away too quickly, and they shared the same weakness: expressive to a fault. 

It was no surprise that Makoto picked up on Rei’s less than enthusiastic attitude during practice. He looked over to where Haru, Nagisa, and Gou sat huddled near the doors discussing meal plans. He would pitch in, after reading articles and casual reader’s digest about the latest health trends, but today he felt lacking in all aspects of himself. Maybe he wasn’t as verbal, maybe he wasn’t as focused, maybe he wasn’t having fun.

A tap on the shoulder snapped Rei out of his own self-thrown pity party, and he looked up to see the gentle eyes of his captain greeting him.

“Is something bothering you, Rei?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Sorry if I worried you, Makoto-senpai.” Rei tried to pull himself together, not quite ready to unknot the web of complicated feelings that he wove and got entangled in.

Makoto sat down beside him on the pool’s edge, not even shivering as his legs entered the water. He was probably used to the temperature, whereas Rei, despite how many times he swam or stayed in the pool, never quite adjusted. The lingering chill clung to him as he pulled himself up the ladder and out of the pool, and with every book about swimming he finished and put down, the cold sensation would spread farther from the epicenter.

From the sympathetic look Makoto was giving him, Rei knew the other didn’t believe him and probably figured it out already. The older of the two may not be book-smart, but he did know how to read people.

“It’ll pass,” Rei tried again to re-assure him and even tacked on a strained smile at the end.

Makoto slowly started to kick his feet in the water, a less aggressive and calming action compared to his leg work when he was doing his backstroke. Rei watched the ripples that were generated from the carefree movement.

“What do you swim for, Rei?”

“Huh?”

Makoto glanced up toward the blue skies and slow-moving clouds, it was a perfect, sunny day that contrasted to his mood.

“I’m not swimming for the glory or to be the best,” Makoto continued tilting his head deep in thought, “but that doesn’t mean I’m going to become complacent either.”

Rei wasn’t sure what to make of Makoto’s advice (opinion? And if it was an opinion, was it an opinion toward Rei or himself?) He didn’t want to seem ungrateful and brush off the other’s attempt to reach out to him, so Rei nodded and hugged his knees tighter to himself.

Makoto laughed and scratched his cheek apologetically, “Sorry, that didn’t make a lot of sense did it?”

Maybe not now, but something about the other’s words did ease the tightening sensation in his chest, and it could be the sun’s rays bearing down on them, but Rei felt slightly warmer sitting next to his captain on that perfect, sunny day.

\---

 

Rei left swimming practice early, claiming that he had a lot of homework and tests to study for. His teammates looked skeptical, but bid him farewell and luck in his studies. Rei felt guilty for lying to them.

It was hours later of indecisive lamenting and wallowing that Rei decided to go out for a run to clear his head. He ran passed buildings and fields, until they gave way to the Iwami shoreline. Where the land meets the sea, how fitting. Rei thought the sunset was beautiful in this quaint little town. He ran in parallel to the ocean, chasing the setting sun.

Rei stayed to watch the sunset, looking for the moment when the sun was swallowed up by the ocean’s murky waves. The lamp posts flickered to life and he decided to head back, but before he could leave his spot on the boardwalk, a lone figure appeared from the sandy beaches.

It was Haru.

Rei was frozen in place as the other recognized him.

“Hello, Haruka-senpai.” He choked out his words, guilt clawing at him.

Haru regarded Rei for a moment before looking away. This was it, he must have figured out that Rei was lying to them about his work load so he could leave swim practice early and-

“How did your studying go?”

Rei swallowed, a lump forming in his throat, and clenched his hands, “Haruka-senpai, I…”

Haru walked forward, and Rei was distracted by the sudden movement. He watched as the other leaned forward on the railings and gaze at the ocean.

Wondering if he was dismissed, Rei was about to bid his goodbyes before Haru spoke again, “I saw you earlier, when you ran by, before you stopped to watch the sunset.”

It was a sunset that the two of them shared, Rei realized. He saw how relaxed Haru seemed to be the closer he was to water, while lately, the close proximity to any body of water sent Rei scrambling back to dry land.

Standing next to Haru and comparing the young prodigy to himself made Rei feel even worse. He could excel in academics and track, but the mechanics of swimming eluded him. Theory supports that an object in motion would move in the direction a force enacted upon it, but as much as Rei pushed forward, he would only sink - gravity the mightier driving force.

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier, when you first joined,” Haru mumbled out, “but your way of swimming is no good.”

If it wasn’t for Rei’s self-control and politeness he would have snapped back at the other that he was trying his best-- he read all the books, studied up on all the postures and steps, and yet results showed little improvement on his part. It was frustrating, like trying to isolate the problem in a failed experiment that has too many variables.

What was he doing wrong? How can he swim like the others? To swim as beautiful as Haru? They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Rei wondered what that meant for him. Someone who could set a goal, but could not even reach it due to his failure to grasp the fundamentals of the sport.

“Stop underestimating the water and trying to calculate everything.”

Ah, Rei felt embarrassed and a bit ashamed, it seemed that he spoke his self-depreciating thoughts out loud. He regarded his senpai for a bit longer, taking in the other's furrowed brow and open stance. It was not meant to be an attack on his abilities, but advice.

To be able to swim free, he must let go of the heavy weights that drag him down, but that was a scary thought as the theoretical and practical approach to things was all Rei had.

Or so he thought, but as Rei walked home gazing at the same sky that he shared with Haru, he wondered if the other saw something more in him that science can’t explain.

\---

 

If water could be described akin to fire, it would be because of Rin.

He was the missing piece to the Iwatobi gang. Rei would be lying to himself if meeting Rin didn’t give him vibes of meeting the “original”. Rin was passionate, he was driven, he was talented, he was...frustrated and lost. Maybe they weren’t so different after all.

Rei gasped as he sprung out of the water, coughing out pool water and ripping off his goggles. Next to him, standing on the pool deck, was Rin. The other reported on what he observed and how he could improve his technique and form.

They had come a long way since the last tournament, Rei helped Rin gain closure and acceptance with his friends, while Rin helped Rei build confidence and gave guidance on his swimming.

It meant a lot to Rei that the other butterfly swimmer took his goading and challenges seriously, and while he had a long way to go before he would see his time on scoreboards, he was able to reach the other side of the pool and that was a lot more progress than sinking to the bottom.

Rin extended out a hand and helped him out of the pool, he grinned as he handed Rei a towel.

“You’re doing pretty good, soon you’ll have another swimming stroke at your disposal.”

He was being sincere.

“Thank you.”

And he was being honest, he really did appreciate the other’s help.

“Now, give me another lap!”

“It will be my fastest time yet, Rin-san!”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, Rei.”

\---

 

Rei glanced at his vice-captain, Nagisa, and their club manager, Gou. They were meeting the new recruits today.

The skies were a familiar blue, and the sun was generous in its warm rays. A once tangled web, turned to strings of interconnected fates; once crippling doubt gave way to new found confidence and hope.

Three years ago, if you ever told him that he wouldn’t be running track, he’d curtly disagree.

Three years ago, if you ever told him that he would learn how to swim, he’d be hopeful but wouldn’t be holding out for a miracle.

Three years ago, if you ever told him that he would be captain of said swim team, he’d probably laugh in disbelief.

But that’s the beauty of determination, it’s a non-scientific driving force that propels him forward.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to focus on Rei's relations with his senpais, and them helping him grow by building trust and confidence. In all honesty, it never crossed my mind that Rei could be captain or had the qualities of one at first, but he grew on me and I have a penchant for rooting for the underdog (they literally plucked this kid off the land and threw him into the water expecting him to swim lol), and Rei's story/progression was an interesting one to ponder and have headcanons about.
> 
> Thank you to my recipient for giving me this opportunity to explore more into his character.


End file.
